Tag: journalist

Categories
Job Board News

Blogger Spotlight: Alex Arnold (Lambgoat)

Hello, everyone! Today is a very special day for the Haulix blog as we’re fortunate enough to be sharing the story of one of the biggest and longest-running hard rock news outlets online. This site has been praised and criticized for a number of years, and this afternoon we’re going to learn about the man who makes it all happen. If you have any recommendations for future installments of our spotlight series, or if you have any questions about our products, please do not hesitate to email james@haulix.com and share your thoughts. You can also find us on Twitter.

I do not recall when I became a regular reader of music blogs, but if I had to guess the early years of the new millennium would be a great place to start. Sites were far simpler back then, and the amount of competition for exclusives was far less cutthroat than it is today. Those wanting punk news visited Punknews, those wanting emo/alt-rock visited Absolutepunk, and those wanting to learn about the heavier side of rock spent countless hours browsing the site at the center of today’s article.

Founded in 1999, Lambgoat has been the go-to destination for fans of hardcore, metal, and other forms of extreme music for well over a decade at this point. Their news feed is one of the fastest online, and rarely does more than a few days go by without some exclusive breaking as a result of their efforts. I knew when we launched this column that the mind behind Lambgoat, and the answer given by owner Alex Arnold certainly did not disappoint. You can read about his journey in music below.

As someone who spent years reading about music before ever deciding to write about it himself, I do not know that I would be who I am today without having discovered Lambgoat all those years ago. The sense of community shared by its users, not to mention the endless love shown towards independent artists has created an environment that makes discussing music fun once more. The competition to be the place where those conversations take place is fiercer than ever today, but I have no doubts Lambgoat will continue to reign atop the metal world for many years to come.

If you would like to stay on top of everything Alex has going on, make sure you bookmark and frequent Lambgoat. Additional questions and comments can be left at the end of this post.

H: For those unaware, please state your name, the site you work for, and your role at said site:

AA: My name is Alex Arnold, I work for Lambgoat. My role is pretty much everything: owner, writer, developer, designer, intern, etc.

H: We have a lot of ground to cover here, but let’s start with the basics: When you think of your earliest memories of music, what comes to mind?

AA: That’s a long time ago. Some of my earliest memories are dancing around my living room with my sisters while the Beatles’ ‘White’ album played. No, I wasn’t alive when it came out, but luckily it was part of my parents’ vinyl collection. I also have fond memories of my father listening to Bob Marley and Billy Joel, two artists I still thoroughly enjoy to this day.

H: Do you recall the first album you purchased with your own money? Do you still own it today?

AA: No, I honestly don’t. But it may have been a Herbie Hancock cassette tape (which must be in a box somewhere. I would never have thrown it out). I think I heard his song “Rocket” on TV and was enthralled. My older sister was a big influence to me, and I was soon immersed in the world of alternative, and particularly, industrial music. I was really into The Cure, Front 242, and Skinny Puppy, among many others. I bought a ton of tapes. Notably, my sister also turned me on to the Violent Femmes, Black Flag, and Suicidal Tendencies.

H: What initially attracted you to writing/blogging?

AA: My father was an advertiser and writer, so I was always relatively confident that I could express myself on paper, so to speak. However, I can’t say that I was particularly interested in writing per se. Though I’ve always been an avid reader, I honestly had no great desire to write.

H: Who or what is your biggest inspiration as a writer?

AA: Wow, that’s a difficult question for me. I honestly can’t think of any writers who’ve really inspired me. My father was certainly an influence, but more so because he was always able to verbalize complex thoughts and ideas. Much of the reading I did when I was younger was of the nonfiction sort, authors of which don’t tend to engender much inspiration (not to diminish their craft).

H: Onto the site. Lambgoat launched in 1999. long before the majority of the sites operating today were even concepts in the back of their creator’s minds. What drove you to launch your own site, and what was the original purpose of Lambgoat?

AA: Quite frankly, the original motivation for Lambgoat was a real-world environment for practicing web design and development, a career which I had just launched. I was passionate about music, so it seemed like a natural theme for the website. But I certainly had no lofty aspirations.

H: The name Lambgoat is one I have heard explained in about a dozen ways across various forums and music hangouts. What is the true origin of the site’s name?

AA: Contrary to belief, the name does not come from the Integrity song whose lyrics include, “The lamb and the goat have finally fused as one.” In fact, the name lambgoat predates that song by several years. Moreover, I wasn’t even aware of Integrity’s existence prior to launching the site. I wish that I had some amazing tale explaining the origin of the name. I do not. I had a friend in high school with whom I would jam. We would frequently make up songs and record them on my trusty Tascam multi-track cassette recorder. One day we were attempting to parody some Satanic death metal, and the phrase “lamb goat” materialized in a nonsensical way. I believe they came from my friend’s mouth, though I can’t say for sure. Regardless, it was a phrase that for whatever reason I would never forget. Not long thereafter, it became the name of a short-lived band. And several years later I dug it up as the name for my site. It’s something I’m constantly explaining, but I’m glad that I used it. It’s much more interesting that HardcoreNews.com or MetalCenter.net or whatever.

H: At what point did the site evolve from a simple outlet for your ideas into a full blown news operation? What lead you to make this change?

AA: Circa 1999/2000, there weren’t many websites for heavy music. In fact, compared to today’s endless supply of online destinations, there weren’t that many websites period. I was surprised that people actually started visiting the site, and when they did, I started feeling obligated to improve and add to its content. I suppose we first hit our stride in 2003 or so.

H: Many of the young sites we feature have yet to dive deeply into the world of monetization, but Lambgoat has been running advertisements for a number of years. Is the site a full time job for you at this point? Do you have any advice to offer younger bloggers hoping to find some income in the world of internet journalism?

AA: I did indeed try to monetize the site to some degree early on. Frankly, I get bored easily. In the absence of financial reward, there’s little motivation to post tour dates for hardcore band X at 9am year after year, haha. I wouldn’t dedicate several hours of each day for 14 years to Lambgoat without any sort of financial benefit. I’m all for helping the scene, etc., but I have a lot of other things that I enjoy doing with my time, not the least of which is hanging out with my family.

Lambgoat could be a full-time job, but it is not. I have a “real” full-time job as a web-developer. I’m busy as hell, but busy is good, I guess.

My best advice to aspiring Internet journalists is to focus on everything but the money initially. You need to worry about content, and content alone, for a period of time. The money will come later. Don’t put the cart before the horse, as they say, or you’re not going to get far. Making money is hard, especially this late in the Internet “game.” There is too much competition out there. Unless you have a large amount of money up-front to invest in marketing, etc., you need to be in it for the long haul.

H: How many contributors do you have on your team? What do you look for when recruiting new staffers?

AA: We’ve had a ton of help over the years from various album reviewers, interviewers, and writers. A select few have been integral, but most stuck around for a month and moved on, haha. Right now we are very thin. I have two people who do album reviews semi-regularly, and one person who writes occasionally. I do everything else. I have been trying to enlist my wife for help during the past year, but she’s busy too with her own stuff, so it’s difficult to maintain consistency in that regard.

In the past, it was easy to find young people willing to help for free. But times have changed, and most competent people want to be paid. This is completely understandable, but it makes things difficult when you’re a small outfit with almost no editorial budget.

H: Building off that, what makes a good news post? I’m sure you’re inundated with press releases and submissions daily, so how do you decide what makes the cut?

AA: Great question. I’d be the first to say that most of our news posts consist of boring, plain vanilla content. After all, there’s not much compelling about tour dates or label signings. If we only posted what we considered to be “exciting” content, we’ve have very little on our site. For every dramatic band break-up, or hitman-hiring metal singer news item, there are 100 other run-of-the-mill items. At this point, we just try not to waste peoples’ time. We tend to post about bands that have some sort of following. And we don’t post about Kerry King visiting a gun show or whatever. If you want to know everything about everybody, Blabbermouth is much better than we are for that. Lars Ulrich was at an art premiere last week? Really? Sorry, but Lambgoat would rather post Misery Signals tour dates.

H: Forums are becoming far less common on news sites these days, but yours continues to thrive. To what do you attribute this success?

AA: I don’t know if “thrive” is the right word, haha. I don’t even know how to describe the board. I’m not sure whether to laugh or to cry when I ponder it. I will say that it is difficult to maintain interest in an online forum these days when there are so many other places to interact – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. It was much easier in 2004 when there were very few places to “hang out” online. I’m not sure how viable our message board is at this point, but we still do get a decent amount of activity there, though I won’t sit here and extol the virtues of said activity, haha.

H: Speaking of thriving, Lambgoat has towered above its competition for a number of years, even as the number of music blogging sites exploded in recent times. What do you think it is about the content offered on Lambgoat that sets you apart for your competitors?

AA: I think we were in the right place at the right time. There were only a few music websites in 2000, and almost none focused on metal and/or hardcore. And even then, most of those only updated their content every few days or so. We were one of the first to provide constant updates throughout the day. If we launched last year or this year, we’d be nothing. There are just too many sites doing the same thing. When Suicide Silence announces a new singer, there are 50 other sites posting the same press release. It’s really rather ridiculous. I just try to maintain a usable site, post news-worthy items, and deliver consistency. It’s really all we can do at this point. There are a ton of fly-by-night metal websites and blogs out there. They’ll disappear and we’ll still be here, doing the same thing, year after year (that actually sounds sad when I read it back, haha). But I think that’s what our readers appreciate most – our consistency.

H: I’ve noticed video content is not a big part of Lambgoat outside of news posts. Do you have any plans to expand you multimedia offerings going forward?

AA: We’ve definitely given it some thought in the past. I’d like to offer more in that regard, but for now, we have no concrete plans to tackle the video realm. Check back in next year and I might be singing a different tune though!

H: What do you think is the biggest challenge facing artists today?

AA: There are so many bands out there. Too many bands, frankly. It’s extremely difficult to stand out. Spend a few hours writing some nifty riffs, do a little Pro-Tools recording, upload to YouTube, and suddenly you’re legit. Ok, you’re really not, but you’re affecting those that are. Prospective listeners have difficulty discerning “real” bands from half-ass ones, and the whole scene is diluted as a result.

H: Where do you go to discover new music?

AA: I honsetly don’t, haha. If new music finds me, so be it, but I don’t seek it out. I hear a ton of stuff through Lambgoat, so I don’t really embark upon any discovery missions otherwise. I’m content listening to the same old stuff, whether it’s the Beatles, Roy Buchanan, Roger Waters or whatever.

H: Speaking of music discovery, you probably receive a lot of submissions from talent vying for a spot on your news feed. What advice can you offer young artists hoping to stand out in your inbox?

AA: I’ve seen everything. And almost none of it works. There is just too much to comb through. Your best bet, whether it’s with Lambgoat or any other site, is to establish personal contact with someone. Sending some template email to a general inbox at some sizeable organization will almost never yield results.

H: When it comes to receiving music for review and feature consideration, which services do you prefer and why?

AA: Since I don’t review stuff personally, I honestly don’t pay too much attention to the various services. That said, I do prefer Haulix among those I’ve used. And I’m not just saying that for your benefit either.

H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

AA: Artists need more money from record sales. Period. If you sell 50,000 copies of an album, but don’t earn any royalties for said album, something is amiss. Granted, for decades record labels were raping artists, but now bands are getting raped by the general public too, haha. Of course, the tide does appear to be turning to some degree with crowdfunding growing in popularity. When Protest The Hero raises over $300,000, you at least know they’re getting paid.

H: What is your ultimate career goal?

AA: Wow, haha…. I don’t know. I wish I had one! I don’t know what a good goal to have is in this business. Make enough to hire a bunch of people and read books all day? I’m not sure.

H: Before we let you go, can you tell us a bit about what you have planned in the months ahead?

AA: There are so many things I want to do with regard to Lambgoat: unsigned band album reviews, a tour dates section, more interviews, more features, a better mobile experience… the list goes on and on. There’s not nearly enough time in the day for me to accomplish everything I’d like. I don’t know that there will be anything out of the ordinary taking place during the next few months, but I am going to do my best to work on a more mobile-friendly website. I’ve been putting it off for far too long.

Categories
Job Board News

Blogger Spotlight: Robert Herrera (PunkVideosRock)

Hello and welcome to another edition of the Haulix Blogger Spotlight series. This week we have an unplanned theme of sites specializing in multimedia features over classic news posting, and I think it offers a rather interest take on where the digital journalism industry may be headed in the years ahead. Yesterday’s talent and today’s could not be more different, but their shared interest in film and how it can help further develop music communities puts them side-by-side on the forefront of music coverage, and we’re honored to share their stories with you.

Music, like many things, is often a family business, and in today’s feature that saying expands to the world of music journalism. Robert Herrera joined forces with his brother, Alberto, in 2008 after a mutual friend asked them to film footage of his band’s upcoming performance. The brothers were happy to oblige, and in the process of working of the project fell in love with the notion of sharing the music that interested them with others through the use of video.

Cut to a few months after that initial performance and the Herrera brothers are now inundated with requests from bands requesting their video expertise at an upcoming performance. The brothers realize a market exists for what they do, and not long after PunkVideosRock came into existence. The site was simple at first, offering performances captured by the brothers, but over time it evolved into a full fledged news outlet, offering far more than your basic live performance video. The brothers continued to refine their craft and in time realized there was a need to launch a second website to properly promote all their efforts. They’re still working as hard as ever today, but we were lucky enough to sit Robert down for a conversation about all they’ve accomplished, and the insight he offers on the industry is unlike any found on our blog before now.

Robert is one of the most active people in the music industry and will no doubt see his notoriety grow in the years to come. If you want to stay up-to-date with everything he’s working on, be sure to follow PunkVideosRock and FrontRowLive. Additional questions or comments can be left at the end of this post.

If you know of someone who would be a good fit for this series, including yourself, please do not hesitate to email james@haulix.com and share your story.

H: For those unaware, please state your name, the site you work for, and your role at said site:

RH: Hey, I am Robert Herrera, Co-Founder & on-camera host for Punkvideosrock.com & FrontRowLiveEnt.com.

H: To what or whom do you attribute your interest in music?

RH: New Found Glory is the reason I got into music. 

H: What was the first album you ever purchased with your own money? Do you still own it today?

RH: The first album I ever purchased was “Sticks and Stones” from New Found Glory. A friend of mine would always talk to me about them so she burned me a copy of the album to give them a listen and I instantly fell in love so I had to go out and buy it.  I still own the record and I’m pretty sure I still have the burned one too.

H: We have a lot of ground to cover here, but if we’re starting from the top then we’re starting with your love of conducting interviews. What attracted you to the world of journalism in the first place?

RH: Actually it’s funny because I’ve always hated being in front of anything. Whenever I had presentations in school I would try and find ways around it even if it meant double the work. I’ve always been a camera operator so when Punkvideosrock began, we just wanted to shoot live videos and exclusives. I didn’t care for interviews. In 2008 I was asked to do a couple of interviews for Warped Tour so I gave it a try. I still didn’t like it. It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I decided to try again and this time I really enjoyed it. I loved the fact that I got to see a different side of an artist that most people don’t get to see. Since then, interviews have been all I’ve been wanting to do. In fact, I want to go back to school but this time to get a degree in Broadcast Journalism. 

H: You started PunkVideoRock with your brother, Alberto, in 2007. Can you tell us the origin story of your first publication?

RH: My brother, Alberto, and I started Punkvideosrock in March 2007 at a small coffee shop called No Future Cafe in Pasadena when our friends in RAYAH asked us to shoot a live video of their sold out show. After that show and video, various local bands began asking us to shoot their shows in various venues around California.

H: Where did the idea to focus on video content come from? Were you always the host and Alberto the cameraman?

RH: Ever since I went on tour and shot live videos with my friends in a touring band [RAYAH] I became fascinated with capturing the art of live performance. Since the inception of Punkvideosrock my brother has been the center camera on tripod as well as audio engineer and I have been the roaming camera and now on-camera host.

H: What were some of the biggest obstacles you faced as a young entrepreneur and blogger?

RH: In the beginning bands would cancel on us a lot, it was pretty disappointing because at times they didn’t bother to tell us before we left to the venue. But today one of the biggest obstacles is gas. We live 40 minutes from Hollywood and about 50 minutes from Orange County but there is always traffic. I’ve had to decline interviews just because I couldn’t afford to fill the tank for the third time that week. 

H: Who is your biggest inspiration as a journalist?

RH: I was a skateboarder before anything else so I always followed Sal Masakela. He’s always been the household name for extreme sports hosting. I was also really into Carson Daly on TRL. The funny thing is that I never expected nor had an interest to be a journalist let alone on camera. I’m socially awkward. Always have been. I still follow [Sal & Carson] and love their work but at the moment my biggest inspiration is Ryan Seacrest, any show that has his name on it turns to gold. I want to brand myself like him someday.

H: When and how did Front Row Live Entertainment come into existence?

RH: Front Row Live began in January 2011. I wanted to expand to a broader audience as well as conduct red carpet interviews that will eventually get me a spot on tv. Our Front Row Live debut coincided with a debut live video we shot for late Actor/Musician Cory Monteith’s band Bonnie Dune at Chain Reaction.

H: Why two websites instead of one? Do you find branding yourself is easier or more difficult with multiple outlets?

RH: We have two websites instead of one because the audience of each site is completely opposite from each other. Some people don’t even know PVR & FRLE are owned by the same two people. It’s always nice when a PVR fan comes across a video of me interviewing Snoop Dog or Backstreet Boys and they freak out because I also interviewed their favorite hardcore band prior to it. 

H: Video content has become a growing focus of essentially every news outlet in recent years, both as a form of content and an avenue for profit. Have you monetized your efforts yet? If not, do you have plans to do so?

RH: We are actually Youtube Partners on both channels so we do monetize from our content.

H: In the past year you have attended a number of major events, which has given you access to some of the biggest names in pop culture. Who is on your interview bucket list?

RH: My interview bucket list is One Direction, Foo Fighters, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Lil Wayne, Taylor Swift, and Justin Bieber. 

H: In addition to covering all today’s top talent, you do a great job of exposing new talent as well. Where do you turn when looking to discover new music?

RH: I actually turn to facebook a lot when looking for new music. There are times when I just scroll down on the feeds and listen to various new music posted by other friends. 

H: What are the most common mistakes you see young artists making when attempting to market themselves?

RH: The most common mistake I see with young artists is that they play shows in the same area or venue every single week or so, at this point your practically begging your friends and family to come and support you again and again. I think they should scatter their shows especially since every show has a certain number of pre-sale tickets one must sell to play. I also don’t see too many bands promoting at shows anymore, talking to potential new fans always works.

H: When it comes to receiving music for feature consideration, which services do you prefer and why?

RH: I have always preferred youtube because it has a bigger reach but lately I have been thinking of giving Soundcloud a shot.

H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

RH: One thing I would change about the music industry is that they bring record stores back. It’s depressing buying an album at target, walmart, best buy, etc. 

H: At the end of the day, what is your ultimate career goal?

RH: My ultimate goal is to become a mixture of Ryan Seacrest, Carson Daly, and Sal Masakela.  I want to host interviews on tv and I want to give radio a try. I would still be running my sites but letting other up and comer’s host the interviews.

H: Before we let you go, can you tell us a bit about what you have planned in the months ahead? 

RH: We have been getting ready for another season of The X Factor and The Voice. I have also been sending out applications to major networks to do some freelance hosting for them. Lastly, I’m looking into going to school again for a degree in broadcast journalism. Everything I have learned in hosting I have picked up as I went, it wouldn’t hurt to learn it the right way as well as having that degree in my possession. 

Categories
Job Board News

Blogger Spotlight: Jack Appleby (Absolutepunk)

Hello and welcome to another edition of the Haulix Blogger Spotlight. As you may have noticed, we are increasing the amount of content we post here on our blog, including the debut of several new columns. Our hope is that you will continue to join us as we explore the people working behind-the-scenes to bring the music industry to a screen near you every day, and would love to hear any suggestions you have for future features. If you have a recommendation, please email james@haulix.com and share your idea.

We have written in the past that making a career in the music industry today often requires taking on multiple job titles. With that in mind, it is our pleasure to share with you a new interview with Absolutepunk contributor Jack Appleby.

Everyone has to start somewhere, and for Jack Appleby that place was Mind Equals Blown. You may recall his name being mentioned during our previous spotlight with MEB founder Drew Maroon, and the reason for that connection is the major role Appleby played in thrusting the site towards the forefront of digital music coverage. He and Maroon have developed a brand together that continues to grow and evolve daily, and it did not take long for others in the industry to notice his talent. We spoke with Appleby about his time with MEB, the decision to join Absolutepunk, and where he sees his own future in the industry headed. You can read our conversation below.

Jack Appleby is often found discussing new music, promoting the bands he manages, and generally being an amazing person on Twitter. If you want to read his writing, be sure to check out Absolutepunk and the pages of Mind Equal Blown. Jack recently joined the team at Siren Records, so head over to their Facebook and learn what they have planned for the remainder of 2013.

H: For those unaware, please state your name, the site you work for, and your role at said site:

JA: I’m Jack Appleby, and I’m over at AbsolutePunk. I organize exclusives, write reviews, cover shows, contribute to social media – a little bit of everything.

H: For lack of a better phrase, you’re a bit of a “Jack of all trades” when it comes to the music industry. When did you first know you wanted to work in music, and where did you first find work (unpaid efforts count too)?

JA: Haha, well – I still don’t have aspirations of making a career of music, but it’s certainly a field I enjoy participating in. I prefer music as a hobby, since it’s damn near impossible to make a good living in the industry. And my first of many unpaid (but completely worthwhile) efforts came via Mind Equals Blown.

H: When we interviewed Drew Maroon from Mind Equals Blown, he said the site really started to take off after you came on board. How did you come to work with Drew, and what can you tell us about the early days of MEB?

JA: Back in college, I was Editor-In-Chief of my university’s newspaper and wanted to apply my skills to music. On a whim, I Googled “music blogs” and came across MEB back in its .blogspot glory. I reached out to Drew, offering to help recruit and train a staff – we teamed up, and MindEqualsBlown.net was born.

Like every music site, MEB grew out of a passion for music and writing (and, you know – wanting to meet our favorite musicians and hear their music first). We wrote reviews, but took a focus on features and in-depth stories even in the early stages – every site had reviews, but no one was approaching happenings in the “scene” (or whatever it’s called) from a serious, journalistic approach. We also emphasized the editing process – all of our pieces ran through the same editing filter as the newspapers I’d worked on. Most reviews and editorials saw multiple edits from multiple editors before publishing, a rarity with most student-based music blogs. None of us were interested in news blurbs and the obvious hits they bring, so we focused on strong content.

H: You’re now a member of the AbsolutePunk staff. At what point did you make the switch, and what attracted you to the world of AbsolutePunk?

JA: As the Managing Editor at MEB, my role revolved around leadership, infrastructure, and editing – I loved running the site, but as I pursued a career in social media, my time for side-projects became increasingly limited. Around the same time my career pursuits became serious, Thomas Nassiff inquired whether I’d be interested in writing at AbsolutePunk, a site I’d always admired. AP.net’s emphasis on community and discussion always fascinated me, and the chance to focus on my own writing again was a huge appeal. It was incredibly tough leaving a site I’d helped create, but in the Fall of 2011, I moved over to AbsolutePunk.

H: Would you say your time at MEB helped prepare you for Absolutepunk? If so, how?

JA: Actually, MEB prepped me more for my career path. I graduated with an interest in business, tech, and social media, but no true “dream job” or specific path in mind. When I finally landed a meeting with Ayzenberg Group (a full-service advertising agency in Pasadena, CA), my time at MEB became the interview’s focus – turned out my content focus and promotional tactics on the site were enough to land me a social media gig. I’ve been at Ayzenberg for two years now, and absolutely love what I do – and I have MEB to thank for that.

H: Like many, you have earned little-to-nothing in return for your efforts at both of these sites. What motivates you to continue dedicating your time day in and day out?

JA: More than anything, I love having the ability to support musicians I believe in. Whether it’s premiering a new song, reviewing a record, or simply tweeting about a band, I love being able to contribute to the music. It seems so few bands know how to expose themselves to the world, and I’m happy to lend a hand in any way possible.

And working with my favorite musicians never loses its luster. I’ve managed to tone down the starstruck effect, but make no mistake – I’m still giddy when I meet a musician I’ve admired for the first time. Over the last year, I’ve interviewed musical idols, helped guide new bands, sat in the studio while favorites as they record – I wouldn’t trade those experiences for anything.

H: Beyond writing, you also recently added another gig to your list of titles. Care to share that role and how it came to be?

JA: Gladly! I’m ecstatic to say I’ve joined the Siren Records team. You likely know the label for Peace’d Out (Vinnie Caruana, Steve Choi of RX Bandits) and their vinyl offerings.

About a year ago, I worked publicity with Donny and James on Silver Snakes’ debut album, one of the early Siren releases. We’d run into each other on occasion and chat music, vinyl, all the things – until one day, they asked me if I’d like to come aboard. It was a pretty easy yes – I’m excited to work with these guys and continue developing the label.

H: Working at a label is a dream shared by many aspiring music industry professionals. If you had to choose, would you continue writing or spearhead label life full time?

JA: I think I’ve struck a healthy balance – I doubt I’d be happy exclusively committing to one role. I love having the ability to work with any band I please on the writing side, and I enjoy having weight and influence on the label side – they give different satisfaction. And again, music’s just a hobby, though one I’m heavily invested in – having the chance to dabble in everything is important to me.

H: Fortunately, you get to do both as long as you’d like, and each offers its own opportunities to expose new talent. Where do you go when you’re seeking out new music?

JA: Friends, the AP.net community, and band buddies are my go-to’s – none of us are shy about passing along new music. If I’m hungry for new stuff, I tend to scour Twitter to see what the rest of the AbsolutePunk staff is playing. I never use algorithm-based sources like Pandora – I’d rather focus on Spotify and Rdio’s “Related Artists” sections, where I’ve found some surprisingly great new bands. I’m lucky enough to have an inbox full of music as well, so there’s always something to check out.

H: Speaking of music discovery, what advice can you offer young artists hoping to stand out in your inbox?

JA: Please do yourself a favor, bands – include a “Recommended If You Like” in your email. And that doesn’t mean say you’re just like Brand New – give honest comparisons that are specific enough to be associated with your sound, yet relevant enough that most writers would know them. It doesn’t trivialize your music – it gives writers a reason to open your email instead of the other hundreds we receive. What’s more, it allows writers to pass music to the appropriate colleague; I’m not a big pop-punk or metal guy, but if you include a RIYL, I know who I can send the music to, even without listening.

Also, offer a stream in your email. Writers don’t have enough hard drive space to download every album sent our way, so send an online stream, with all of your band’s information (name, location, social media links, etc). Or, be smart and send us both a stream link and download link in the same email – give us the opportunity to explore your music however’s best for us.

And please, if you send me a download, have the iTunes info attached to the tracks already. I can’t tell you how much time I’ve lost editing song names and track listing to make an album play as intended.

And no caps. Don’t send me email in all caps. I’ll fight you.

H: When it comes to receiving music for review and feature consideration, which services do you prefer and why?

JA: Thanks to leak culture, it’s become increasingly difficult for publicists to send advances of albums, making it near impossible to publish reviews before or around a record’s release. Anything that makes a publicist more comfortable sending me music early works for me, and Haulix’s watermarking and secure online player seem to do the trick. Sound quality is incredibly important as well – nothing’s more frustrating than receiving an advance in 128 kbps. Whenever possible, I’ll try to get my hands on the WAV files, though 320 kbps is certainly acceptable and deliverable through Haulix. But more than anything, it’s the multiple methods of listening that wins me over. I operate off of several computers, and love analyzing music in my car – having both stream and download options is a huge win.

H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

JA: I’d definitely encourage music fans to rethink how they support their favorite bands. While I’ve got my own theories as to why no one can make a dime in this industry, I’m always baffled by how little music fans contribute to their supposed passion. If a band releases a record you love, go buy it – then go to their show – then buy a shirt – then show your friends – then tweet about it – then do whatever’s next. So many people are happy being passive listeners when it takes such a small effort to help the cause. Seriously, just tweeting about a band accomplishes more than you realize – you could be introducing a band to their next biggest fan.

H: You tweet a lot about having big plans for the future. Before we let you go, can you tell us a bit about what you have planned in the months ahead?

JA: Lots of exciting things happening at Siren Records, though not much I can share at the moment. We’ll definitely have some Peace’d Out news soon, including info about their first full-length. There’s a few projects taking shape that’ll blow your mind, but those will reveal themselves in the next few months – plus, vinyl, vinyl, vinyl.

I’m also managing Culprit, who’s releasing their sophomore EP on August 20 via Easy Killer Records, so make sure you watch for that.

And there’s always new things brewing at AbsolutePunk – it’s sounding like the mythical new design may come sooner than later, but you’ll have to talk to Jason Tate for details. Some damn good music coming this fall as well, so hopefully lots more features, song premieres, and reviews.

Categories
News

Blogger Spotlight: Brian Leak (Under The Gun Review)

Hello, and welcome back to the Haulix Blogger Spotlight series. This week we have two very interesting and completely different individuals to introduce you to, and the first comes to us from the land of Northern California.

Though we have featured writers from Under The Gun Review in this series before, today is the first time in the history of this column that we’re highlighting an individual who also happens to be a parent. Brian Lion is the Front Page Editor for UTG, and over the last few years he has helped steer the site’s development, strengthened the overall grammatical proficiency of the staff, and brought countless new eyes and ideas to the world of Under The Gun. He didn’t start at UTG, but he’s certainly made it his home, and in doing so greatly impacted the overall quality of the site’s offerings. When he expressed an interest in this series, we knew his insight would offer invaluable aide to other chasing the dream of a career in entertainment.

Below you will learn about Brian’s history with music, his earliest efforts in the industry, where he sees himself in the future, and what advice he has to offer others hoping to make their way through this business. His story is one-of-a-kind, and we’re grateful that he’s chosen to share it with us.

Brian is always seeking new opportunities in music, and those looking to keep up with his efforts would be wise to follow him on Twitter. Under The Gun Review also offers a social media feed you need in your life, so be sure to Follow them on Twitter and Like their Facebook at your earliest convenience.

H: For those unaware, please state your name, the site you work for, and your role at said site:

BL: My name is Brian Leak, alternatively and more than likely known as Brian Lion. I work for Under the Gun Review where I am the Front Page Editor. I mainly read and edit each and every post on the site but I also do interviews, reviews, music and film news, a column when I’m able, and pretty much anything else I can dabble in. I just recently had my first photog experience shooting for RX Bandits.

H: UTG is not the first publication you have written for, but you certainly seem to have made it your home. Where did you get your start in writing, and what initially attracted you to the entertainment industry?

BL: This is true. My first publication was a print magazine/paper based in Chico, CA which was called Synthesis. I mainly did interviews with bands and some actors. Since then, I’ve written for a handful of others as well with UTG being my primary den. I’ve always loved music and film, for as long as I can remember. I used to watch VH1’s top 10 countdown constantly when I was a kid and I would watch tons of 80s and 90s action movies with my stepdad; the Lethal Weapon series, Jean Claude, Jackie Chan, Arnold, etc. It all just fascinated me so much. Whether it be music, film or television, they were just different worlds you could get encapsulated in. Part of me always felt like I would love to be involved with it in some way. That early on, writing hadn’t necessarily crossed my mind but over time as I started reading more and more online, I started to gain an interest in the industry and thought that it was a very special way to explore the things I loved from a different side.

H: What drew you to the position of Front Page Editor at UTG, and why do you feel its purpose is important?

BL: I’ve always been lucky enough to fully grasp the English language and have never truly struggled in that area. I won a couple spelling bees when I was younger and some awards for regional writing events and such and a lot of my teachers and family always told me that writing would in some way be what I would do. At the time, I never really believed that or thought too much on it but as I got older and began noticing an unfortunate lack of literacy around me, it sort of became a pet peeve — spelling and grammar that is. When I was in high school, I had considered working towards becoming an English teacher but I was a teenager and wanted to be such, so that much work didn’t sound as appealing to me once I really put thought into it. Eventually, after having immersed myself into writing about music and film, editing other peoples’ mistakes in the same field only made sense as I would see errors going unnoticed otherwise and felt obligated to remedy that. I just can’t let shit go.

H: In recent years Under The Gun has evolved from covering music to featuring news on film and stand-up comedy as well. Aside from these expansions, what do you feel separate the efforts of UTG from those of similar websites?

BL: Well these expansions are huge for us of course but it’s all about the way we execute our content. We have a very interesting cast of characters on staff spanning the US with one staffer in Europe as well and with that many unique personalities, you’re bound to have some strong convictions, views, and ideas. As a group, we’ve had some of the most hilarious, interesting, and even sometimes aggravating conversations that I think I’ve ever had.

We try our best to allow our contributors to use their voice as they please because that to me is what will make an article more interesting for a reader. There are plenty of sites out there that you can go to for formulaic news, but we try to add ourselves into our content to create a more relatable and enjoyable atmosphere for our readership. Aside from that, timeliness is next to Godliness and original content is our bread and butter. With a sociable and well-connected staff, you can pull a lot of great resources to score some really cool content from friends in the industry. We just try our best to come up with new features and continue expanding as we’re able.

H: One thing that sets you apart from many bloggers is that you also happen to be a father. How has starting a family changed the way you approach your work?

BL: That’s a great question. In one sense, it has made me want to work harder of course but there’re always times when I wish I could just take an entire week off and do nothing but play with my little girl and do whatever we want. I can’t say that that feeling won’t grow even more in the future as she gets older and can interact more but this is my dream and I like to think that it will lead to more and more great opportunities as it already has over the years.

H: Some might think having a child may detract people from chasing their dreams, but you clearly don’t see things that way. What advice would you offer others who find themselves in a situation similar to yours?

BL: Obviously, your child should come before anything and everything, but at the same time, if you give up on a dream in the process, especially one that you’ve made great headway in, then you’re failing your child as much if not more than you’re failing yourself. Writing was always about my own personal gain until we had her. Now it’s just that much more important that I make this work and continue to expand so that it does lead to those other great opportunities that will hopefully benefit not just me, but my family as well.

As far as advice I’d offer others in a similar situation — if possible, do not give up on your dream, but don’t let it take over your life to where you become a stranger to your kid(s). I know that in a reversed situation, I would likely be upset to find out that my parents gave up on something they loved because of me for some reason. I would feel guilty and or disappointed in them and I don’t want my daughter to feel that way about me when she grows up. I want her to be proud that I accomplished my goals just as I will be of her.

H: As someone who not only covers new music, but film as well, how do you go about discovering new talent?

BL: Word of mouth first and foremost, but I’ve bookmarked a lot of sites over the years that I explore now and then. Bandcamp, which is a gold mine of undiscovered talent, has been one of my go-to resources for finding new music. Pandora has introduced me to some artists I was unfamiliar with, and just sites like UTG that I always followed. Finding new music is one my absolute favorite things. Discovering an incredible new band is like Christmas, but usually better because you don’t have act like you like something if you really hate it. No need for gift receipts.

As far as film, I use Letterboxd which is amazing and has helped me come across countless mind-blowing films. I used to just search through Rotten Tomatoes and see what was coming out. It’s pretty good for seeing ratings on more obscure stuff that you may be interested in. I’ve stumbled upon some pretty cool things online, sometimes using StumbleUpon. Go figure. Short Of The Week is a great site for discovering new short films, which many that know me will tell you is a huge interest of mine.

H: Let’s say the artists want to come to you. What advice would you offer a band hoping to stand out from the countless others vying for coverage?

BL: Oh, man. Originality is key, but even that is hard to create these days in a sea of similar bands trying to grab your attention. I’ve seen almost every bait deviation there is and coming across one that really draws me in is few and far between. I personally don’t like when people try too hard. Sincerity is nice and I want to be wowed. Me being an editor, it’s incredibly frustrating when I’m not even sure what the band is trying to ask of me. If you can’t spell or form sentences, you may want to get someone who can to write up your press releases. That’s for starters. As much as I understand the urgency and excitement, I don’t like when people are pushy about it. They should know that almost anyone they’re trying to pitch their material to is going to be a very busy person. I’m a sucker for cleverness; puns and esoteric pop culture references. That’s how you can get me to do a double take and put my headphones on.

H: When it comes to receiving music and film for review and feature consideration, which services do you prefer and why?

BL: I personally like to just be able to click to Bandcamp or Soundcloud; some simple streaming platform. I don’t really want to have to download something before I’ve heard it. Physical copies are always nice, too. For film, online screeners seem to be typical and I like that. Again, physical copies are fine with me as well. Other than that, if need be, Dropbox and or WeTransfer are great for a quick exchanges.

H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

BL: Uhhh, one thing…that’s difficult. I think I would take out a lot of the ferocity and venom from the competition. For being a medium that is so universally loved, there is a lot of hate and facetiousness involved behind the scenes, and sometimes in the headlines. It can be daunting and exhausting when you’re trying to enjoy your work while bands and artists start feuds and other writers and publications find it necessary to bash what you do because they do it differently. Sometimes they do nothing differently and they’re just clearly vicious people that feel better about themselves by slandering others. I can’t say I’m not a shit-talker but when it comes to my work, I try to respect my peers at least. If I don’t like the way they’re doing something, I look at it as their problem, not mine.

H: Your team writes a lot about having big plans on the horizon. Can you tell us a bit about what UTG has planned for the remainder of 2013?

BL: More original content, more features, more coverage. Hopefully some more indie film screenings like we did last year with Iwrestledabearonce. We should be covering another handful of festivals before the year’s end as well. We just had a staffer attend AFI Docs for reviews which was very unique amongst our peers and helps expand our film coverage. We’ve discussed maybe putting out some merch. Maybe we’ll launch a Kickstarter just to fit in.

“Yes! The danger must be growing / For the rowers keep on rowing / And they’re certainly not showing / Any signs that they are slowing!”

Categories
News

Blogger Spotlight: Chris Harris (GunShyAssassin)

Continuing our ongoing feature highlighting the people behind the industry’s best sites and zines, today we are excited to unveil a new interview with Gun Shy Assassin founder Chris Harris. Chris has a long history in journalism, both in music and out, and has been doing a number of interesting things with his site in recent months. Through editorialized reporting, which often leaves us laughing at our desks, Harris and his team have carved a unique niche in the heavy music world that continues to propel them to further up the reporting hierarchy. You can learn about the man behind GSA, as well as the advice he has for those hoping to make it in metal, below. 

After you read our interview, be sure to stop by Gun Shy Assassin to see and read Chris’ work. We also encourage you to Like GSA on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. 

H: For those unaware, please state your name, the site you work for, and your role at said site:

C: My name is Chris Harris, and I am the founder and CEO of GunShyAssassin.com, a three-year-old metal site named after a line in a Pig Destroyer song; bonus points if you know the tune.

H: You have worked in music journalism for a number of years. What first inspired you to enter this career field?

C: I’d say I’m a journalist first, a music journalist second – only because the depth of my experience is not limited to one field of journalism alone. I have written for a number of national publications and organizations, doing hard-hittin investigative pieces and fluff stories on pop stars. My love of music first drew me in, and it is now my passion for it that keeps trying to push me back out.

H: They say the first album a person falls in love with represents the genre they will follow later in life. What was the first album you truly connected with?

C: "They" don’t know shit. Because Jane’s Addiction’s “Nothing’s Shocking” led to my liking Swedish black metal.

H: There are an ever-growing number of metal websites in existence that offers news comparable to GSA. What is it about your content that sets GSA apart from the rest?

C: Honesty. At the end of the day, we’re one of the only metal sites that’ll actually call it like it is, without of fear of reprisal. We’ll desescrate sacred cows, we’ll pick apart bands people hail as important, and we deliver honest commentary from some of metal’s heaviest thinkers, including Early Graves frontman John Strachan, Jesse Leach of Killswitch Engage, Revocation’s Dave Davidson, Mark Hunter of Chimaira, Brian Fair of Shadows Fall, and Tim Williams, frontman for Vision of Disorder. With our guest column series, we’ve become something of a hotbed for metal musicians who aspire to write.

H: You have featured a number of indie/unsigned bands on GSA. What are your sources for music discovery?

C: Of course. Most contact us, but we run a weekly feature on unsigned bands who just happen to be readers, too. Sometimes, we come across gems in the rough, But that’s only sometimes.

H: What advice would you offer to bands and artists hoping to appear on GSA in the future?

C: Be smart and play your ass off.

H: When it comes to receiving music for review and feature consideration, which services do you prefer and why?

C: Haulix is pretty solid.

H: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

C: The rampant favoritism that seems to pervade.

H: Before we let you go, can you tell us a bit about what GSA has planned for the remainder of 2013?

C: More guest columns, more sarcastic criticism, more contests, more reviews, more interviews, and more exclusives. Also, we’ll have more updates from Chris Adler of Lamb of God, the focus of a casual series of interviews you’ll find only on GSA.

Exit mobile version